When you are filing for benefits through Social Security Disability, you have probably heard that you will need to get a medical exam. While this sounds simple on the surface—you are claiming you have a disability and it would make sense that a doctor should confirm this—getting the medical exam, also known as the consultative exam (CE), completed can sometimes be difficult. It is not as simple as setting up an appointment with your family doctor or therapist and having them sign off on documents for you. Instead, when you are trying to claim these disability benefits you will need to follow the standard procedure to make your claim go through as smoothly as possible.
Getting the Consultative Exam
As a lawyer, like a Social Security Disability lawyer in Roanoke, VA from The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt knows, one of the biggest steps you may have to take is undergoing the consultative exam. The Social Security Administration (SSA) contracts out to doctors who perform these exams, which is why visiting your usual doctor may not be enough to file your claim successfully. For this exam, you should not expect that this will be the doctor you stick with so that you can continue getting treatment for your disability. Instead, these doctors are here for a very specific purpose. They will conduct your exam and give their professional opinion on what your condition is, whether it is physical or psychological. Depending on what you are getting examined for, you may expect your appointment to include:
- X-rays
- Bloodwork
- An interview
- Mobility tests
How can I prepare for this appointment?
You should feel free to speak with your lawyer about your upcoming appointment to learn about the different ways that you can prepare for it. Your lawyer may advise you to have any medical documents and records that you already have of your disability sent over to the CE doctor so that they have a clearer idea of your medical history. This can help to fill in any gaps. If you have any medical documents you think may be necessary to bring with you, you can compile them and bring them to your appointment. Your CE doctor will then create a report after your exam that includes your diagnosis and how they expect you to do (physically or psychologically) in the future.
If you have any additional questions regarding your CE exam, do not hesitate to reach out to a local lawyer you can rely on to learn more about your rights and what to expect.